1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a component support, having two or more module carriers aligned with each other in a direction across a width of a component support, wherein the module carriers have two insert card guidance devices connected with each other via a support element so that guides of the insert card guidance devices, which extend in the direction of the depth of the component support, form receivers for one or several insert cards. The insert cards are electrically connected to a rear support by plug-in connections, and the module carriers are releasably connected with the support so that the removal of a single arbitrary module carrier from the row of the module carriers is possible.
2. Discussion of Related Art
A component support is taught by U.S. Pat. No. 6,646,890. A housing, into which several insert card guidance devices have been installed, is used. It is possible to introduce insert cards, which lie parallel and next to each other, into the insert card guidance devices. The insert cards have a strip of plugs on their back end. With these, the introduced insert card contacts a plug-in receiver, which is attached to a printed circuit board, for example a back plane, maintained on a rear of the housing. The insert cards have plug-in points to make them individually different or for supplementing their functions, into which additional printed circuit boards can be inserted. For example, the additional printed circuit boards are known as slave boards or mezzanine boards. From the open front of the housing they can be introduced into guidance devices and pushed into the plug-in locations.
Modern applications for component supports require the component supports to be differently equipped. The component housing must be selected to correspond to the intended application and then equipped with the desired number of insert cards. Because the dimensions of the component housings are pre-fixed, it is possible for some insert card receivers to remain empty, so that valuable structural space remains unused.